1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a running board assembly for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a running board assembly for a vehicle which is designed to slide outwards and then be pivoted downwards from the side doors of a vehicle when it is used.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a running board 1 aids entry into recreational vehicles (RVs) which generally have higher ground clearances compared to a sedan. However, since a conventional running board 1 is simply fixed to a vehicle body 2 (i.e. a side seal outer panel) so that it cannot be extended in a transverse direction of a vehicle, there is a drawback in that it is inconvenient for a passenger to step on the running board. Since the running board is generally not extendable outwards from a vehicle body so that it is not distinctly visible to a passenger, when a passenger gets off a vehicle, it is difficult for the passenger to correctly step on the running board, and possibly get hurt from a fall, and when a passenger gets on a vehicle, it is difficult for the passenger to step on the running board for easy entry into the vehicle.
The conventional running board thus has a fixed structure to a vehicle body in which it is not extensible in the transverse direction of a vehicle so that it is inconvenient for a passenger to get on and off the vehicle.
Further, a fixed-type conventional running board 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a high ground clearance, so that passengers such as the elderly, the disabled and children experience inconvenience in getting on and off a vehicle using the running board.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is intended-only for enhancement of the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information fully describes the prior art that is known to a person skilled in the art.